The conviction by a Gujarat court of BJP legislator Maya Kodnani and Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi along with 30 others for their role in the Naroda Patia massacre is the strongest judicial affirmation yet that large-scale communal violence is almost always a product of pre-meditated political planning and calculation. An estimated 95 Muslims, many of them hapless women and children, were hacked to death in Naroda, a minority neighbourhood in Ahmedabad targeted by armed mobs under the indulgent gaze of the Gujarat government in the wake of the February 27, 2002 Godhra train carnage. The verdict is a landmark one. It is for the first time that an Indian court has convicted a sitting MLA — Ms Kodnani was also a minister in the Narendra Modi government from 2007 to 2009 — for mob aggression against members of a religious community. Secondly, the court has not only upheld the charge of criminal conspiracy against the 32 individuals convicted, it has also found one of them guilty of rape and sexual harassment.

The establishment of conspiracy augurs well for the future of communal violence prosecutions, where the judicial trend so far has been to uphold murder but not conspiracy. It is a victory particularly for the Special Investigation Team that was brought into the picture by the Supreme Court following the failure of the State police to properly prosecute the post-Godhra riots cases. For the families of the Naroda victims, who identified the aggressors braving threats and intimidation and who were able to come forward to some extent because of the protection offered by the apex court, there cannot be a greater vindication than the trial court finding evidence of rape and molestation. It has been their plaintive cry that the violence was orchestrated and targeted against women, who were subjected to gang rape and worse before being slaughtered. Violence against women is a pattern established over and over in anti-minority pogroms, and the judgment has done yeoman service in foregrounding this fact. Needless to say, the conviction is a huge setback to the Gujarat Chief Minister personally. The fact that Ms Kodnani led the Naroda killings was common knowledge, yet Mr. Modi made her a minister, even putting her in charge of ‘women and child development’ as if to thumb his nose at the victims. A bigger worry for Mr. Modi ought to be the establishment of conspiracy. The Chief Minister has maintained all along that the “riots” were a spontaneous act by crowds enraged by Godhra. It stretches credulity that Ms Kodnani could enter into a conspiracy with her co-accused without the government getting a whiff of the group’s criminal intentions and conduct, before, during and after the killing.

Great verdict to punish the accused.please may be you're a Muslim or a Hindu think once before you heart someone,neither The Khurhon nor The Bhagavad Gita tells to kill someone.A Pure Hindu or Muslim cannot heart someone on the basis of Religion.India had been a peaceful country in the past whether it was governed by Akbar or Shivaji,our dirty politicians are provoking us to do such(riots) things for only for their benefit.The World is developing very speedily and we the Indians are still lagging behind only of this dirty politics.Please save the greatness of India as a liberal country.please don't ruin the greatness of India.

from:
sandeep P

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 20:37 IST

It reflects sadly on our judicial system that we are hailing this verdict as a 'first' of sorts in independent India. Punishing muderers and criminals should be the norm and not an exception and it raises a serious question: why it could only be delivered after intervention from apex court of the nation. Why powerful people who incite mob violence for petty political gains always go scott free is the real issue and that is why perhaps these culprits were "stunned" by the verdict as they were assured by their political master that they will be protected at any cost. If Ajmal Kassab is guilty of killing innocents Indians indiscriminately then so are these cold-blooded murderers. They should also be hanged, along with their master-mind on the same day when Ajmal Kassab will pay for his henious crimes. That indeed will be a day to hail our judiciary!

from:
Nadeem Jilani

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 20:01 IST

A GOOD VERDICT
Sir,
The verdict of the Special Court is a welcome relief for all those victims and those who have immense faith in our judiciary.On the political front,the Congress may demand for the resignation of Mr.Modi.It will also be a time for Modi's distractors in the BJP and outside it to laugh in their sleeves.For Modi,time has presented many opportunities to come clean but he has with conceit and over confidence trampled away all those chances.Even now he may resign on his own and seek a fresh verdict to vindicate his questionable stand on the program.The verdict may also trigger a backlash of sorts and the Centre and other security forces must be on guard.

from:
M SOMASEKHAR PRASAD

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 18:36 IST

Such impartial judgments and protection by the apex court give confidence to the common man that true justice can prevail in spite of communal and corrupt politicians. Sanjiv Bhat must also be compensated for his efforts and deserves an award for his stance.

from:
Raja

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 15:33 IST

Any kind of violence must be opposed, let it be done by any religion. I wonder, hindu are seems to be pleased and they do think that ours is secular country.In the same country, nothing happens if people of minority religion does violence. Say, for example,what happened to the guilties in Sabarmati express carnage, Kashmiri Pandit and recently happened violence in so called protest in Mumbai. We seems to have forget these issues or might be government is forcing us to do so.
Hindus always shows readiness to punish the guilty with the use of judicial system, does the minority have same will power or had they ever raise any voice against the violence done by some of them?? Had they ever done any kind of charity work for the rehabilitation of Pandits in kashmir.
Here,the Point is to be a secular, Which means discremination should not be done against any religion. Here, minority has the rights to ask for justice but is it true for majority.
So, can we call ourself secular???????????

from:
Vijay Abrook

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 15:18 IST

Great!. It makes wonder why there is no such enquiry on Godhra cornage itself? May be the outcome of such enquiry will be a worry to all those seudo secularists?

from:
C Narayanaswamy

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 15:17 IST

i think justice is only half done. in godhra riot, hindus were also killed wht abt them?? hav they got justice?? who are representing thr cases?? in this country secular are those only who abuse hindus. 1984 sikh riot is still far away frm any judgement or justice but 2002 riot was resolved on a fast trek basis.

from:
Dharmendra

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 12:43 IST

Law and order should be respected and followed by everyone. For people to have faith in the constitution, no one who commits attrocities against mankind (national or international) should be spared from criminal proceedings. Justice as administered in this case will set the example for corrupt politicians on the consequeces of their political midirections and will protect the rights of common man to live their lives without fear. Police officials who fail to maintain law and order under the pressure of politicians are equally guilty and should be punished. India is a great nation of cultural and religious diversity. No on should be allowed to taint India's name and glory. Law enforcements would protect human rights. Court verdicts of this nature would make politicians who mistakenly belive that they are untouchable to discharge their duties with duty, dicipline, decency and decorum. People who do not respect the constitution do not deserve to roam free among our society.

from:
Naushad

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 12:27 IST

This judgement of the honorable court ,over such a heinous massacre
happened of the involvement of some destructive section of the society,is
really welcoming from every positive section of the country
This will really be needful to make the people faithful towards the law n judiciary
system and positive changes acre expected and always be so on likewise.

from:
Sunil Gaikwad

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 12:09 IST

Given the grotesqueness of crime the verdict isn't stunning rather not even satisfactory. More then 100 people comprising mostly women and children ruthlessly killed and many of them subjected to even tormenting experience of getting gang raped before getting slaughtered. Can't imagine the atrocity of those monstrous people.What was even more shocking that one woman conspired to orchestrate such heinous crime and for all these our judicial system has given the sentence of 18 years.Undoubtedly some of them deserved the death sentence.So,how is this verdict stunning as it also took 10 years to convict the accused one's.Our judicial system is still a long way to achieve the status of being entirely justiciable.

from:
Ankit Trivedi

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 11:48 IST

The full import of this verdict won't be realized anytime too soon. It is a momentous verdict, not just a stunning one. It is a shame upon this nation, when one community of people is still pitted against another, whether in the name of religion, caste, or any other factor. Hopefully with the faith restored to some extent in this nation state called "India" perhaps we can take this momentum forward and continue to deliver effective judgments against crimes of all nature, and do so with speed. Thank you for an excellent summation.

from:
B S Kumar

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 10:50 IST

The scenes shown yesterday on TV of the riot victims and there heartfelt gratitude at the verdict was heartwarming and so so gladdening , if not for anything than simply as a human. What brutishness and savagery can justify or provoke the butchery of innocent , helpless humans..hindu,muslims, sikh, no matter ....As a mark of gratitude special recognition should be given to the bravehearts of Gujarat and the activists and the prosecution for their relentless pursuit for justice..Special mention should be made of media houses who braved state castigation in highlighting what is surely the darkest chapter of "wilful suspension of humanity"...Cheers India. And to all brothers and sisters ( again Sikh, Hindu, Muslims, Christians) who have been victims of inhumanity of this kind..pls bear that you are remebered in all our prayers.

from:
Omar

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 09:33 IST

A really good verdict. Its really good to see when the law takes its own course. Let us start valuing the etics and a legal system. And yes as someone here said-let this be a precedent. Those who still see through the blinkers of communalism should rot.

from:
Saurabh

Posted on: Sep 1, 2012 at 00:11 IST

It was great to see that justice still prevails in india. But as far as indian judiciary is concerned to bail these persons out is not a big deal coz the judicial system of india is such that it always provide chances to the culprits to bail them out.. These culprits should have been pronounced to be hanged and that would have been the real victory to the sufferers and for the Indian judiciary.

from:
MOHAMMAD FAIZAN

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 21:59 IST

Like Mathew, I am sad to read the comments which look solely from the muslim point of view or the Hindu point of view. Further, there are those who look at this judgement from an anti-BJP point of view.

For me, the important question was that injustice must not go unpunished and that a high standard of integrity should fill all in the judiciary and the government.

I hope this judge has been honest and done a fair job. Undoubtedly, it will be challenged in higher courts, I hope we do not that it was motivated by political or religious reasons.

I also hope people will realise that all religious books are just books - stories written by people who did not know that the world is round - and they no longer give religion more importance than life and the people who live.

from:
Vinod

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 20:29 IST

Glad to see the verdit. A criminal should be punished. But why the media focus less on provoking incident of buring a rail coach. every time they speak about the violence after that incident but why not about that incident? when will be the verdict coming on sabarmati express case? I really beleive if goverment and judicial mechanisms punish the criminals as and when they are caught for provocating and creating communal disturbance there is no need for other party to retaliate and kill the innocent in their reach. Still i beleive 'Secularism' means state will not support any particular religion, but what happens here is state tries hard to support and gaurd interests of minorites by any far. Still discarding myself from religion i say ' all criminals should be punished'.

from:
venu puttamraju

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 19:57 IST

2002 was not the first time that communal riots took place in Gujarat.In fact there has been a spate of communal riots in Gujarat during past three centuries.First riot took place in 1714.And there has been periodic disturbances there.One of the worst riots were on Sept.20,1969 which continued for two months.Some 15000 persons were alleged to have been killed in those riots.The government of the day was headed by Hitendra Desai of Congress.But no 'secular' leader or organization wish to recollect.None was punished.There should be a detailed study of communal history of Gujarat.And it should also be told as to why there has not been a single incident after 2002.It was an explosion of centuries of pent up anger.Let the law take its own course.

from:
Anil Gupta

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 19:28 IST

This is indeed a welcome development and hopefully shows everybody in no uncertain terms that such acts will ultimately be punished, no matter what the position and patronage of the perpetrators. It did take too long but justice delayed is at least better than justice denied.However, there is a feeling that justice was pursued by activists and delivered by judiciary in this case due to religion of the victims. One can but hope that all communal violence cases, including 1984 riots, are pursued with similar vigour.

from:
Deepak

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 18:24 IST

This decision proves the supremacy of law above religion once again.India doesn't favour any particular religion,its the politician which invokes people on the basis of religion.This verdict is going to send shivers down the spine of all those perpetrators involved in Assam riots.

from:
Sumit

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 18:02 IST

According to the government of India figures presented to the parliament in 2005, the number of Muslims killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots was 790 while 254 Hindus were also killed. Why is it that only the Hindus are being singled out for punishment? And why is the media so one sided in its treatment of this tragedy?

from:
Javakusum

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 17:48 IST

As an Indian muslim,there were times,i must admit, when i felt disillusioned by our state machinery.when i read about how innocent muslim women in one part of gujrat were gang raped and then disemboweled , as punishment for a crime commited by some fanatics hundreds of miles away: and the state stood a mute spectator...
I felt deeply hurt that me and my family were targets of crazed bloodthirst only because some people unknown to us,having no relation to us and who we condemned for their heinous act, burnt alive some other innocent kar sevaks.
for sometime some of us lost faith in the system,but this verdict changed all that in one stroke.Justice was delayed,but justice was not denied.The Idea of Bharat,a collective,inclusive nation stood supreme.Everyone is equal before the law,even the weakest,most demonised community will get justice-this is what the verdict means to us and i salute that.

from:
Dr.Faiz Ahmad

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 13:16 IST

I have a question to all the people asking questions like - why no such articles in The Hindu for 1984 anti-Sikh riots, recent Mumbai riots etc - do you even read this newspaper regularly? Well I do and you will find equally 'hard-hitting' articles on all those issues and incidents.

from:
Aditya

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 08:21 IST

Should there be an investigation into the conduct of Ahmadabad police and the state prosecution team that investigated the case since 2002 before SIT took over? They had all the phone logs and witness accounts. For filing FIR and charge-sheet, it does not need a great deal of proof - at least not as much as for conviction. Now we know that there have been enough proof to convict but they could not get enough to charge-sheet. And she was at large for so long. And Modi even promoted her to minister position after all these complaints. Why do people hate politics and politicians!

from:
Sri

Posted on: Aug 31, 2012 at 06:11 IST

Reading the comments itself is distressing. But it probably makes sense if polarization is the opposite of balance. Just a simple question - is India today safer than it was say in 1984 or 2002? Going back, is this a relevant question?

from:
Mathew

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 23:54 IST

This verdict by the SC will give some solace to those who lost their kith and kin during the riots in Gujrat . This verdict comes as an unexpected answer to the question of credibility faced by secular India and increases the faith in the judiciary. Though it remains to be seen if this verdict is followed through to it's logical end.

from:
R.H.Jafar Sadiq

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 22:33 IST

The clarity, forthrightness that vibrates in every word in the interpretation of the judgement. is an example of excellent English, excellent speaking out for national interest and fairply. I found it a heartwarming effort by a responsible leading member of the journalistic fraternity. May such voice persevere and thrive.

from:
N.Narasimhan

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 21:55 IST

Though I welcome this verdict these culprits will still escape when they go for appeal as the evidence in riots are difficult to establish.In fact this aspect encourages extremist organizations to orchestrate violence.Besides if the BJP comes to power they will ensure these people are exonerated in the higher courts.These are one of the few cases in which criminals have been given the just verdict.All others have been let loose and are continue to live happily.

from:
Nasar

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 17:40 IST

The HINDUS , anti Modi and anti "Majority" stance is evident in this article . Why not such stinging articles after the Mumbai episode recently ?

from:
VJ NAMBIAR

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 16:05 IST

Today's editorial on Ahmedabad massacre is in right tradition of 'The Hindu'. By anlysing the verdict in its right journalistic perspective is more important then the verdict itself. The verdict must have been more fruitful if it was in right time. Ten years lost in legal wranglings in such heineous crime of the State demands review of the procedural delays. let me say that after a long time I read such unbiased text in print media.

from:
Iqbal Warakhwala

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 15:53 IST

Only 32 people convicted for killing 95 People after 10 years, in total more than 3000 people killed,justice denied in very large,justice delivered in some.

from:
Jahir

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 15:13 IST

This is a good and just verdict. It is shameful though that in similar circumstances that took place in Delhi, Congressmen who led the mobs to murder and loot the Sikhs remain unpunished. A sad commentary on the inability Of the Union Government that is in charge of Delhi's policing.

from:
Hilary Pais

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 15:13 IST

It is a great verdict and has won hearts of millions of muslim. It really spreading a sense of being great muslim.How humanity can keep quite when butcher told that i torn the womb of a woman and burned the fetus, no one can see those pictures.I salute judiciary though delayed but not denied. I feel it is step towards long judicial battle for remaining culprits

from:
azeem

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 14:36 IST

Wish to see similar outcomes for Sikh riots, hyderabad riots over the years and so on. Hope this is a precedent.

from:
savitha

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 14:03 IST

Did anywhere in their verdict SC said that Gujarat government was responsible for the incident ? Was it mentioned anywhere that Ms Kodnani committed that crime in her capacity as a Gujarat minister on the directions of the government or the CM or Narendra Modi personally? Then why is this judgement being claimed to be against Narendra Modi ? When a SIT appointed by SC absolves Narendra Modi of all charges, people say its biased. When a SIT appointed by SC finds a BJP MLA guilty, people start lauding it and criticizing Narendra Modi. It looks as if the new definition of secularism in this country is 'to criticize and blame Narendra Modi, irrespective of facts'.

from:
Rakesh Agarwal

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 13:02 IST

Hi. I am totally disagree with Mr. Narendra M Apte comment. Where is the involvement of congress??? Why you are blaming on congress? Is the action done by Mr. Narendra Modi in 2002 was correct??? If his one MLA is involved in crime why they have given the Ministry???? Pls be secular before commenting anything on any one.

from:
Ashfaq Ansari

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 12:40 IST

This is a blot which Modi will find hard to erase. The verdict also highlights the fact that 2002 riots are the biggest hurdle in Modi's prime ministrial ambitions. If Modi is made PM candidate by the BJP only way it can hope win power at the centre is by way of an absolute majority for BJP, Shiv Sena and SAD. No other party including JDU will come forward to assist BJP, if Modi is the PM candidate. The sooner the BJP realises this, better it is for the party.

from:
Pramod Patil

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 12:32 IST

Two important verdicts of indian judiciary on wednesday clearly indicate that no more communal violence would be tolerable on indian soil(Ajmal kasabs death sentence upheld by apex court and Mayaben kodnani conviction in post godhra riot by trial court).It would certainly spread the message to terrorist mindset that judiciary is no more flexible on the issue of creating internal insurgency.
Attack not only on economic integrity but also on national unity is "rarest of rare one",it has been reflected in apex court decision.

from:
naveen lohar

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 12:10 IST

The Hindu edit piece has rightly exposed the partnership of Gujarat government led by Narendra Bhai Modi in eliminating Muslims of Naroda Patida, one of the worse communal riots in the country. The conviction of Ms Kodnani , a sitting MLA of the BJP and a former minister in Narendra Modi government by the judicial court has once again proved that the Gujarat government was brain behind in killings of Muslims during communal riots in Gujarat. Sadly the BJP leadership is silent over the issue and Narendra modi also maintaining mum and still harbouring the dream of becoming prime ministerial candidate from the BJP for 2014 Lok sabha poll! The BJP must clarify the situation that Narendra Modi has not adopted Rajdharma as advised by then Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. again the conviction of Ms Kodnani and Bajrang Dal leader Banjarangi in the killing of Muslims have raised million dollar question over the Narendra Bhai Modi government role in riot!

from:
krishn kumar singh

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 10:04 IST

Great to see convictions in post godhra riots, even greater glee in seeing the English language media (both print and electronic) to jump in joy at this verdict.
However has anyone paused to see what happened to '84 delhi riot culprits?
Oh yeah , i forgot only when a muslim gets killed in India is the new news glamorous, worth selling and further political ambitions of certain political masters of the media.
Sikhs/Hindu lives in India are not valuable at all either to Electronic media, english print media or the political parties.

from:
Aniket Sinkar

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 10:03 IST

Justice delayed is the justice denied& is what has come true in the verdict of the apex court over Naroda's communal violence.But overall it's a great verdict that ensures the secularity of our nation. The law should be more tough on communal violence in order to strengthen the cause of humanity.

from:
Prabhat Kumar

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 09:50 IST

During the partition of india itself, this type of riots have happened. But I am not substantiating the cause of riots that happened during independence and currently in Godhra. But the Apex court has not given its verdict in the Sabarmathi Express carnage before this incident. But I wonder how this verdict has come. Did the Congress Government wants to appease muslims due to elections around the corner during the year end. Already Congress has loosing its foot in all the states.

Supreme court has to decide....

from:
Anantha Padmanabhan

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 09:42 IST

While welcoming the conviction of those who were involved in riots in 2002, we need to do some self-introspection. Why is it that a party like BJP which hopes to be in power in the Centre in 2014 does not shun violence in unambiguous terms? As a society, we should be concerned about the fact that people believe in violence as a solution and even vote for the party which has consistently maintained the view that post Godhra violence in Gujarat was a spontaneous reaction of people. How do we deal with the fact that but for intervention of the Supreme Court, many of those who committed crimes of killing innocent people would never been brought to book? Incidentally, let us not forget that long ago we should have brought to book and punished those who killed innocent Sikhs in Delhi in 1984 riots. It is indeed failures of the society like these that compel people to seek solution in violence.

from:
Narendra M Apte

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 09:03 IST

Really a landmark judgment worthy of adorable emulation.Now that the honourable judges have established beyond doubt premeditated conspiracy in the Naroda massacre shamelessly led by Ms Kodnani,an MLA of Narendra Modi government whom Modi elevated as a Minister out of 'gratitude' may be, for executing his mind as alleged by the victims and the opposition,all the 32 convicted should be sent to gallows,particularly Kodnani who despite being a woman had been leading the mob to kill innocent people including women and children so very inhumanly and mercilessly without any stir in her heart.As we demand hanging of Kasab without delay,will it not be appropriate and in natural justice that all the 32 brutes who don't deserve a place in a civilised society are also hanged without further delay?This is more so when Kasab is an alien brain washed by our enemy to his crime while all the 32 convicted of the heinous crime now are all Indians who have preferred to kill fellow Indians out of hatred.

from:
Tharcius S.Fernando

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 08:55 IST

It defies logic when the 'conspiracy' had to be hatched in a matter 1 or two days soon after the Godhra burning ! It is time to introspect that as a society suppressed anger was vented in a matter of 1-2 days. What should be the reason ? Why ordinary women and middle class households were involved in the rioting ? Does this not represent the deep sense of resentment to decades of appeasement of a section of the society ?
For the society to remain peaceful, the state should stop propping one over the other by means of appeasement of one. Will the 'secular' governments understand this ?

from:
Amaruvi Devanathan

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 05:43 IST

While the outcome of the judicial investigations could very well be fair, the timing of the verdict is suspect - is this a synthesized opportunity to deflect the heat from coal block allotment scam?

from:
Dwarakanath Srinivasan

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 04:40 IST

Very aptly titled 'A stunning verdict', the editorial has rightly lauded the good work done by the Special Investigation Team and the conviction by Gujarat Court of Maya Kodnani, the Gujarat MLA - who was given a ministerial berth after the Naroda massacre- and 31 others, who were found guilty of involvement in the heinous crime. Though justice has suffered delay - obviously for some unavoidable reasons, it has no been altogether denied.

from:
K.D.Viswanaathan

Posted on: Aug 30, 2012 at 02:49 IST

This verdict clearly demonstrates that India is a nation of laws. All citizens, irrespective of social standing, are subject to the law of the land. The upholding of the death sentence handed down to Qasab (a foreign national who went on a murderous rampage in Mumbai with his Laskar associates) further illuminates India's commitments to a fair judicial system. He was afforded a fair trial and had a chance to appeal the guilty verdict.

Indian officials and the press lament that Kasab's associates, supposedly in prison in Pakistan, have not been brought to trial there. The probability of that is close to zero. The LeT is an arm of the Pakistani military and a trial of these men will implicate the state. The Pakistani legal system for most part is subservient to the military.

The evolution of Jurisprudence in the two countries stand in sharp contrast to each other. We should take great pride in our Indian citizenship.